Every Blonde Male
by Sharzam
Summary: Roxas is going through an uncertain time in his life, until he sees a brilliant pair of green eyes over the crowd and hears the husky voice of a rockstar crooning Hotel California. AkuRoku, more detailed summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**You know what, muse? _Fuck _you. I have exams in a day, and I originally meant this to be a oneshot, but nooooooooooo you had to go and screw everything up by activating my brain too much and making me think that this would work much better as a multi-chapter. You're a bastard and I hate you. **

**No, muse, wait come back! I NEED YOU TO FINISH THIS FUCKING STORY YOU TOOL. **

**So, as you may have noticed, I did not plan this. This was like an unwanted pregnancy. Except I can't get rid of it. Woe is me. **

**Another AkuRoku you say? Where is the SMO update? THOSE ARE VERY GOOD... QUESTIONS. SMO is NOT on hiatus, I'm just in the process of building up chapters to post during my HSC so I don't freak out too much. And yes, this is another AR. **

**But you know what? This multichapter might JUST be melded into a oneshot later on in life. But I am not the calibre of writer who can sustain a month-long storyline in a oneshot, such as other writers on here. So these chapters are going to be short, span a couple of days of story each, and they are probably going to come in a mixture of frequencies... such as, I've written almost five chapters, and will aim to finish the rest in the week after my trials, and then post them all in one day. So BE PREPARED. **

**Reason for titling will be explained in later chapters. Pairings are: AkuRoku, Zemyx (I know, I don't understand it either), HaynerSeifer, CloudReno, VincentCid, MarVex, RikuSora... more, probably, but that's all I can think of. **

**

* * *

**

**_Chapter One_**

**

* * *

**

One week after breaking up with Olette on good terms, Roxas found himself at an outdoor concert for _Underground_, a mixed-genre band who specialised in covers of... well, pretty much everything. The stage was set up on one of the many grassy hills topping the cliffs of Twilight Town, with the sunset behind it.

The concert was fairly crowded, which was only appropriate for a well-known band returning home for a play in front of the locals.

_Underground _was the band which had been originally formed in Twilight Town, with Roxas' cousin, Demyx, being the first to suggest to his boyfriend that they should start a band. Now, almost six years later, they were back in town, completely new to the world in which they had grown up in.

Demyx was the lead guitarist, his dirty-blonde hair cut into a spiky mullet. He was wearing an electric blue T shirt, navy skinny jeans and silver sneakers, which matched his silver Ibanez half-hollow electric guitar. The guitar was his life, given to him by his parents when he was seventeen. It was classic.

Roxas didn't know the pink-haired man on the drums, his dark cerise locks either a statement to his already-obvious homosexuality, or a statement that he didn't care what other people thought of him.

Roxas doubted the latter.

Zexion, the second guitarist, had slate grey hair, straight down his shoulders, and was the second original member. In fact, he'd been Demyx's boyfriend since they were eighteen. Absolutely _no one _saw that one coming. His guitar was a black, jagged, Jackson _Kelly_, which went with his black clothing, snake bites and eyebrow bar. He was emo punk - no one could understand how a guy like that could end up with someone like Demyx.

There was something missing, though. The concert hadn't even started, and Roxas was watching Demyx tune his guitar, drinking in the erratic notes coming from it. But there was definitely something missing.

This 'something' came through the wings, the long neck of a bass guitar preceding the tall man holding it. At first, Roxas couldn't see his face, since his back was to the crowd. The bass guitar was kelly green, solid, matching a worn singlet draped over pale, muscled shoulders, translucent from hard wear. Black skinny jeans, red Converse.

And red hair, spiking in all directions. Not the normal red, though. It was crimson, with streaks of a darker red, the colour of dried blood, all through it. The lights on the stage only illuminated the unique colours.

And then he turned around.

'Oh God,' Roxas thought.

The tall redhead's face was even more unique than the rest of him. Entrancing green eyes set beneath thin eyebrows, full red lips, small nose, angular jaw, and — the most interesting of all — twin diamond tattoos beneath his eyes.

Those eyes were narrowed now, almost sharp, calculating… it was at this moment that Roxas realised that the man was staring right at him. He was probably scrutinizing Roxas' face exactly the same way that Roxas had examined his.

Those eyes were piercing straight through his soul. Roxas was unable to look away.

He couldn't stop the thought that popped into his head, the desire in it so shocking that he scared himself: _oh god, please fuck me. _

This exquisite creature couldn't possibly be real. He was too… too… beautiful. He was stunning. No, he couldn't remember this man from Twilight Town… even if he'd only been eleven when Demyx and Zexion left, he would have remembered such striking features…

Roxas realised, with a start, that he had just gone gay for a complete stranger.

As he stood there, stunned, with people pressing in all around him, the redhead turned away, smirking.

As it turned out, the bass player was also the lead singer. Demyx surrendered the position behind the mic to the redhead, who took it up immediately.

"_Helloooooooo, Twilight Town!_" He yelled into the microphone. The speakers didn't even whine in protest."_You don't know me, but I'm sure you recognise a couple of members, our original duo, Demyx and Zexion!_" At this he gestured to each of the said 'duo', clearly indicating which one was which for all the stupid people, not just coasting over them with a lazy arm like so many other people did.

"_On the drums we have Marluxia, the peppy peacock - note the cock, everyone, this dude only _looks _like a lady - and then you have me… Axel._"

Most people just cheered because of the impromptu concert which supplied the town with a different kind of entertainment, but Roxas let out a cheer for Demyx and Zexion, and also for finding out the name of the subject of his random infatuation.

"Axel," he murmured, the name rolling off his tongue. Then the band began to play _Hotel California_, and it was all about the music once more.

When the concert came to an end three hours later, Axel's voice was still clear and strong, his endurance impressive for a man, having covered about fifteen bands ranging from the Eagles to Cher. Roxas wondered briefly if his endurance was as good in bed…

_Holy crap, stop thinking about it! What is wrong with you?_

Trying to shake the attraction from his head, Roxas melted through the crowd and proceeded down the hill. He would have stayed to talk to Demyx, but he didn't think he could face Axel, the redhead whose eyes saw straight through him so easily… besides, Roxas would be able to see Demyx tomorrow.

* * *

_Underground_ was backstage. Axel was lounging on an equipment box, his fingers lightly strumming his unplugged guitar. Demyx had Zexion in his lap, and Marluxia was casually smoking a cigarette several metres away.

"Hey, Dem…" Axel muttered over his rhythmic strumming, "you have any relatives in this town?"

"Yeah, my mom's sister's family lives here, even after Mom moved away," Demyx replied, instantly suspicious. "Why do you ask?"

"Just saw a kid in the crowd who looks a bit like you. You know, spiky blonde hair and such. He was eyeing me up something good."

"You mean Roxas?" Demyx scoffed, shaking his head. "Are you serious? He was _eyeing _you?"

"He looked like he came in his pants when he noticed I was looking at him too."

Demyx frowned. "Stay away from him, Axel."

Axel frowned as well. "How come?"

"I know you, and I know Roxas, too. You're a flamer, and _he's _straight. And I know what you want and what he wants. Roxas is not a quick fuck, like all the others." Demyx had become stressed during the conversation, and his arms were now uncomfortably tight around Zexion's waist. The shorter man squirmed slightly, and Demyx loosened his grip with a small sound of apology.

Meanwhile, Axel seemed to be thinking over the mini-lecture. "He's straight? Didn't seem that way to me."

"Pretty sure he is," Zexion answered, moving to straddle one of Demyx's thighs backwards so he could look Axel right in the eyes. "We came back here a few years ago without you guys, and he was with that blonde chick, wasn't he, Dem?"

"Olette," Demyx supplied. "They've been together since he was fifteen. I won't let you destroy that, Axel."

"How old is he now, then?" Axel asked, thinking hard.

"Eighteen. They've been together for three years. The whole town expects them to get married any moment now."

"Jesus. Really?" Axel couldn't imagine getting married at eighteen.

"But, Axel…" Demyx hedged, "why him?"

Axel shook his head, his hair bouncing along with the movement. "I don't even know. There's just… something about him."

"Huh. Finally found someone you're genuinely interested in and they're taken. How unfortunate," Marluxia sneered. He was normally a generally decent guy, and a demon on the drums, but when faced with Axel's general voyeurism, he could be quite nasty.

Axel didn't pay attention to him, though. His head was full to the brim with Roxas, the look in the blonde's wide blue eyes when he'd met Axel's gaze practically branded into the redhead's mind.

_Underground _was only in Twilight Town for a few days, scattered inside a week, since they were journeying to Traverse Town and Radiant Garden for reunions with the other band members' hometowns. Marluxia was from Traverse, and Axel came from the Garden.

Perhaps Axel could just… watch, from afar. He would obey Demyx's wishes and keep away from Roxas, and not interfere with his relationship with his girlfriend. But there was just something about Roxas that pulled Axel towards him, an irresistible force that Axel was having trouble ignoring.

* * *

**So after my lovely ANGST in the foreword, all I can say now is FML. Also, fuck you again muse. No, wait, I love you. Come back.**

**Fuel my insanity by leaving reviews, tell me how insane I am and whether I should continue this or not! Don't tell me that I shouldn't do this during exams... I won't listen. **

**MWAHAHAHAHA**

**Iloveyouall**

**Sharzam  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Oh, a new chapter? REALLY? WELL YES IT IS. **

**A weeeeiiiiirrrdd pairing comes up in this story, probably should have told you guys about it in the first chapter, BUUUUTTTT... Larxene is Roxas and Namine's mother. iknowrite, I'm insane. Also, Luxord is their stepfather. Hey, now... they're the only blonde members of the Orgy that haven't been mentioned yet! Who ELSE would be suitable as parents of two blonde children. DON'T PUT THIS ON ME I'M GONNA GO MAKE PANCAKES NOW.**

**Thanks to everyone that reviewed in the very first DAY, I love you for making my English study that much more bearable.**

**Roxas doesn't live with his parents and Namine for mentioned-in-the-future reasons, just clearing that up. So when he's in Hayner's apartment, it means he lives there. For now.**

**LOVE YOU ALL.

* * *

**

**__****Chapter Two**  


* * *

The next day, Roxas was moping around in his apartment when his mother called him on the telephone, telling him that Demyx and Zexion were coming around for dinner, and she'd like it if he was there. There was to be a nice celebration for their visit back home, with a few other members of the extended family coming over. Roxas knew that when his mother said that there were a 'few' people, it meant about twenty relatives crammed into her already-small house.

Later on, Demyx and Zexion arrived and meshed right into the crowd, although they were probably pretty awkward in the family setting after the better part of seven years absence.

Roxas planted himself in the living room on the couch, only mingling with the people who came into the room to find out who was in there, doing what he did best and keeping to himself. Usually, he had Olette to keep him company during things like this, but...

"Roxas?"

He looked up; Demyx was shadowing the doorway. "Oh... hey, Dem. What's up?"

"Ah... not much. It's nice to be home again," Demyx replied, plopping himself down on the couch next to his cousin. "Where's Olette?"

Roxas shrugged. "We, er... broke up last week. There was a lot of fighting going on, and we both agreed that it was better for our friendship if we just split and saved each other the heartbreak of a messy end."

"How mature of you," Demyx mused. "I'm sorry, man. You guys were really close."

"We still are," Roxas said. "We just... aren't dating any more. My mom was more disappointed than me. The whole town was convinced that we were going to get married any time soon. I guess the troubles we were having didn't show up much on the surface."

"Well, I can't tell exactly how much you're affected by that, but I have one thing to say... Axel will be _ecstatic_."

For a second, Roxas couldn't think, so he said, dumbly, "Who?"

"Red hair. Teardrop tattoos? He plays bass for _Underground_. Remember him yet?"

"Um..." Roxas muttered. His mind was playing the images back through his brain, the piercing green eyes, fiery in their intensity, staring back at him over the crowd, the spiky crimson hair, the unique markings under his eyes, pale, muscled skin, how _good _he looked in that green shirt...

"Oh dear," Demyx chuckled, watching his cousin's face change from confusion to comprehension. "And here I was hoping it wasn't true."

"What isn't true?" Roxas asked, his voice soft and far away.

"You're gay for Axel. Oh god, he's reeled in another one. He says that you're different, though."

"Demyx, what are you even talking about?" Roxas demanded. Demyx was talking as if he was off in his own little world, and Roxas couldn't follow his direction any more.

"Axel saw you last night, yes? I didn't, but apparently you were checking him out. His ego has gone up about a thousand levels because of that, so thank you in advance for all the shit we're going to deal with in the next few weeks."

"He saw me? Oh, he must've..."

"What?"

"He must have seen me, cos otherwise I wouldn't have been able to see his eyes so clearly."

"Well, Rox, I'm going to tell you exactly what I told him. Stay away from Axel, okay? I know he's entrancing – he's been in the band for five years. He's the ultimate predator – drawing in the prey by looks alone. But he's a whore."

"Pardon?"

"Words cannot explain how many people Axel's slept with in the last five years. Being a kickass bass player kind of helps you get laid. Put it this way – if he finds out you don't have a girlfriend any more, he'll try to move in. What I want to know is if you want me to tell him. I will if you want that.

"But, Roxas, Axel isn't interested in a relationship. He hasn't been in all the time I've known him. He's twenty-four, and to my knowledge, he's never had a steady girlfriend or boyfriend. But when we were talking last night after the concert, he was talking about you... and how you're different. He's kind of troubled because of it."

"So... you're asking me to tell you if I want to fuck Axel?"

"Well, do you?"

"Uh... well, I've only ever... with... Ol – besides, can't I just ignore it? It might just be attraction."

"So you've never been attracted to a guy before, huh?"

Roxas shook his head. This conversation had gotten very awkward very fast.

"And you had to choose Axel," Demyx groaned.

"I didn't _choose_ him, Dem! He's just extremely attractive!"

"_Do you want to fuck him or not_?"

"Jesus Christ, keep your fucking voice down!" Roxas hissed, clamping a hand over Demyx's mouth. "I don't know!" He thought about the first thought he'd had upon laying eyes on Axel, and promptly turned red. Demyx noticed immediately.

He forcefully removed Roxas' hand from his mouth and pinned him with a stare. "All right, what were you thinking just now?"

"None of your business," Roxas snapped.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Demyx asked.

"Uh, nothing that I know of. Why?" Roxas was immediately suspicious.

"Just, me and Zexion are taking Marluxia and Axel around the town tomorrow. You want to make yourself available? Hang outside. If not, stay inside. I'm going to tell Axel you and Olette aren't together anymore, okay? Then you can make the decisions."

"Thanks a bunch, Demyx," Roxas groaned, throwing an arm over his eyes. "You made my day, right there. As if I don't have enough to worry about."

"You have absolutely _nothing _to worry about! You've graduated, right? You going to college?" Zexion had materialised in the room, and promptly sat down across Demyx's legs. "What've you guys been talking about?"

Roxas left the room. Just got up off the couch and left Demyx and Zexion alone in the sitting room.

"What the hell, Demyx?" Zexion demanded. "What did you do to him?"

"Hey, I didn't do anything to him! I only asked him whether or not he wanted to fuck Axel!"

"You know, sometimes I wonder how you're so insensitive," Zexion mumbled.

"He got all flustered, though," Demyx snickered. "It was pretty funny. He's got it _bad_."

"Wait, what about Olette?"

"They broke up last week."

"Ohhh… and I suppose you're going to tell Axel?"

"Of course I am!"

* * *

**Oh Demyx, you so evil. So, the plot continues! Probably not going to update for a few days, though, but keep your eyes peeled - anything could happen!**

**Review me! *strikes awesome pose***

**Sharzam  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Forgive me if Marluxia is majorly random in this chapter. But this is like, one of the only chapters that will have him in it anyway, so DEAL WITH IT. **

**Unless you know me, you probably don't know that I'm very music-inclined. So, Roxas plays a trumpet. Yay. I always wanted to play trumpet, but I got into trombone instead. And you know where that's gotten me? Yeah. NOWHERE. **

**Hotel California is usually played with a guitar intro, but CBS did a broadcast of the Eagles playing on their current tour with a trumpeter doing the solo instead. If you look on YT, it should be under hotel california cbs 720 HD, or something like that. It's only the last little bit of the intro, because the version that I have on mp3 got taken down for some reason. :( Devoooo. **

**Anyway, listen to it if you can, and substitute the players for the band in this story. You may notice that one position has yet to be filled. **

**Anyway...

* * *

**

**_Chapter Three_  
**

* * *

"So, Dem... where are you taking us?" Marluxia asked as the four band members walked down the smooth cobblestones of one of Twilight Town's main streets.

"To the sea," Demyx called over his shoulder. He was walking fast, bouncing a bit, eager to see the sun on the water near the station. They had arrived the day before yesterday, in the late afternoon, and hadn't had the chance to go to the ocean until now. It was one of Demyx's favourite places when he was a teenager, and he was excited to see the sea.

"Ooh, flowers!" Marluxia cried out suddenly, rushing off into a side alley. Zexion exchanged looks with Demyx before hauling ass off after Marluxia, who had already gained several seconds of a head start.

Demyx shook his head. Some things never changed, such as Marluxia's penchant for flowers.

"Wait, Dem," Axel demanded suddenly. "What is that?"

The music wafting through the town broke through the serene silence, filling the air with its sweet, brassy melodies.

Demyx paused along with Axel, standing together in the middle of the street. The introduction for 'Hotel California' was floating over all of Twilight Town, the notes conveyed by the strong sound of a trumpet.

"Roxas plays trumpet, but I can't imagine where he's playing to get that much coverage…" Demyx pondered.

"Clock tower," Axel answered, pointing.

Sure enough, Roxas was sitting on the clock tower ledge, his legs hanging over the edge. His blonde hair was like a halo around his head in the sunlight. His eyes seemingly closed, he played the golden trumpet by ear.

"He decided, huh," Demyx muttered to himself. Axel didn't catch it, but it was just as well. The redhead was far too busy gazing at Roxas on the clock tower to pay attention to what Demyx was saying.

"Holy crap, how'd he even get up there?"

"There are stairs around the back," Demyx replied. "I didn't know he hung out up there."

Axel listened for a bit longer, drifting further down the street to the stairs up to the station plaza. "He's… _really _good."

"Roxas started playing the trumpet when he was eight. It's his musical outlet, along with his electric acoustic guitar," Demyx said, approval in his tone. He was glad that another member of the family was musically inclined. "He's the only trumpet player in town — he taught himself."

The introduction finished — and Roxas went straight into the next part. Both Axel and Demyx exchanged stares; the quick fingering made the trumpet sound almost like a guitar.

"He must have a lot of breath," Axel mused.

"He does — apparently, he tries to practise every day. Unlike a lot of people, he still takes joy in his instrument, even after a decade."

The music faltered — Roxas hit a weird note. His exclamation of 'Aww!' carried as clearly as the trumpet.

"Shit, is he improvising all that?" Axel asked, incredulous, as the music started up again.

"Must be," Demyx muttered. "Lucky bastard can play almost anything, and Hotel California is his favourite song."

"Axel, Demyx, where did you guys go?" Marluxia shrieked from behind them. The trumpet's music faltered once more... and then died.

"Wait, why did the music stop?" Marluxia asked, more quietly, as he and Zexion rejoined Demyx and Axel.

"Because you scared the living daylights out of Roxas, that's why," Demyx grunted, irritated. Marluxia had little to no control over the volume of his voice when he was excited.

Indeed, Roxas had stopped playing his trumpet and was simply sitting on the ledge, staring down at the four. Rather, he was staring at one person in particular. Axel hadn't budged from his spot on the outskirts of the station plaza, still looking up.

They stared at each other for a few more minutes, as Demyx, Zexion and Marluxia wandered down to the beach.

"Hey, Roxas!" a voice called to Axel's left. The redhead turned to see another blonde teenager, his hair pulled back off his forehead, wearing cargo pants and a singlet, waving up at the teen on the clock tower.

"Hayner? I thought you and Seifer were still on vacation!" Roxas shouted, his voice betraying his joy in seeing the other teen.

"Nah, we just got back. His mom's cornered him because of this weird text she got while we were away... it's kind of awkward being there. Nice playing, man! I got ice cream," Hayner yelled, waving two paper-covered popsicles in the air. He hadn't noticed Axel's presence. "I come up or you come down?"

Roxas seemed to think it over for a moment, but he wasn't looking at Axel anymore, so it was hard to tell. "You come up," he replied, his voice carrying easily in the air, much like his music.

Hayner started off towards the back of the clock tower, not even looking in Axel's direction once. He was either oblivious or ignoring him on purpose. Since he didn't even know the kid, Axel deducted that Hayner was just remarkably unobservant.

Axel turned his back and walked away.

"Hey," Demyx started, elbowing Axel in the ribs. Axel merely grunted in annoyance, and turned to face the blonde. Demyx had joined him at the waist-high wall that surrounded the plaza. Zexion had wandered off to some bookshop, which wasn't surprising at all, and Marluxia was gathering seashells on the beach.

"I have to talk to you," Demyx continued.

"Oh, great," Axel drawled. "Is it another lecture?"

Demyx frowned, "No. It's about Roxas. I know I told you to stay away from him – "

"Wait, now you're changing your mind?" Axel exclaimed, incredulous.

"He broke up with his girlfriend last week."

"The three-year one?"

"Yeah. Olette. Apparently they'd been arguing a lot. But that's not the point, Axel – "

"So, wait, you're telling me that you talked to him about me?"

"I said no such thing," Demyx argued. "But yes. I talked to him last night. I basically told him that if he stayed inside today, we'd have to assume that he doesn't... _want_ you. But he's kind of made a statement now, you know? Especially being so... _visible_."

"What? You mean, he likes me too?"

"God forbid your ego swells even more," Demyx groaned. "Yes, idiot, he likes you too. Can't imagine what he must be thinking – he's with a girl for three years and a week after they break up, you roll into town and sweep him off his feet – figuratively, at least. That seems to be a little _too _convenient, as convenience goes."

"Don't question fate, Demyx," Axel chastised, his grin stretching across his face like the Cheshire Cat's. "Just tell me if I have your motherfucking blessing."

"Oh gawd," Demyx moaned into his arms. "Yes, you have my blessing. I don't want to hear any of the fucking details, though."

* * *

**BUT WHAT IS THIS? PLOT GOING FORWARDS! HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?**

**LOVE YOU ALL**

**REVIEWS PLEASE**

**SHARZAM  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**So... just finished my trial HSC today... so we have another chapter to celebrate! FINALLY, PLOT DEVELOPMENT. JESUS, THE HOLE KEEPS GETTING BIGGER. **

**Hit a major rut... I'll tell you more about it in the footnote. UNTIL THEN, HAPPY READING.  
**

* * *

"Demyx!" Zexion called, waving. "Look who I found!" He was dragging a short blonde girl along with him; she was laughing. Axel noticed that she looked a little bit like Roxas, with the blonde hair, although hers was long and straight, no spikes to be seen. She looked almost his age, too.

"Naminé!" Demyx shouted, and sprinted off in her and his boyfriend's direction. Axel followed at a more sedate pace. Demyx got to the girl and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her up and spinning her around, laughing. "Wow, you're all grown up!"

"Of course, silly!" Naminé replied, grinning. Her pixie features were beautiful on her angelic face, and her eyes were — shockingly — the exact same shade as Roxas' were, or close to it, since Axel had only really seen a glimpse of what colour blue Roxas' eyes were, in the too-brief staring match they'd had two days ago.

"After all, Roxas is grown up, so why shouldn't I be, too?"

_That_ got Axel's attention, and Demyx noticed. Setting Naminé down, he gestured to Axel. "Naminé, this is Axel. He's our bassist. Axel, this is Naminé, Roxas' twin sister."

"It's lovely to meet you, Axel," Naminé beamed, shaking his hand when he held it out to her. "You've met Roxas already?"

"Umm… sort of," Axel replied, uncertain as to how undressing each other with their eyes was actually a meeting.

"He's the one who turned Roxas gay," Demyx quipped. Axel shot him such a potent look of betrayal that he almost laughed.

"Really?" Naminé looked Axel over again, paying more attention to detail than her first uncaring scan, her blue eyes examining every inch of him. Axel felt slightly uncomfortable for the first time in years.

"Huh. Well, I guess it wasn't entirely unexpected," Naminé admitted. "I've always thought he was, and Olette was just a trial run."

"Why do you say that, Nami?" Zexion asked.

"Because the male blonde occupants of this town have an interesting habit of developing gay tendencies." At this, she narrowed her eyes at Demyx and Zexion. "Like Seifer and Hayner."

"Hayner? The kid on the clock tower with Roxas?" Damn, a slip. Now he sounded like a full-fledged stalker.

Naminé gave him an amused look. "Yes, that's the one. Hayner just got back from vacation with his boyfriend, Seifer. He's a good kid – no competition for you."

"Uhh... thanks," Axel replied, uncertain and awkward around this young woman, who seemed so intuitive.

"Ok, guys, I really have to get back to the library, but I'll see you tonight, right?"

Demyx and Zexion nodded, and then Naminé looked at Axel expectantly.

"What's happening tonight?" he asked, curious.

"Another welcome party," Zexion explained. "This time it's in the town hall. I reckon the whole town's turning up for it. It'll be fun. You and Marluxia should come along."

"Er, sure, I'll come too," Axel answered, and Naminé beamed.

"Then one more thing, Axel," she said, her voice deceptively sweet.

"Hm?"

"If you hurt my brother," and here her little pink lips drew back over her teeth to reveal a very white, very evil smile, "_I'll kill you_."

Shit, and she was serious, too. Axel nodded mindlessly, at a loss for anything to say.

"Have a nice day, you three," Naminé chirped, turned on her heel, and skipped away.

Axel shuddered involuntarily.

Demyx burst out laughing.

Zexion shook his head in despair.

Marluxia, his arms full of flowers, popped up in their midst and then promptly threw the flowers into the air, covering them all in petals of every colour in the rainbow.

"Why the long faces, everybody?"

"I just got threatened with death from Roxas' twin sister," Axel groaned. Out loud, it didn't sound as frightening as it was.

* * *

The town party was, if anything, enlightening. About two hundred people were stuffed into the town hall, with food and drink everywhere. It was only five in the afternoon, and the sun hadn't even set yet.

Unfortunately, Roxas was only here because Hayner had forced him to come, the other blonde still in party mode due to his vacation. However, Hayner had abandoned him briefly after entering the hall, in favour of making out with Seifer in a secluded corridor.

Roxas felt appropriately betrayed. After all, his best friend had only spent about half an hour with him on the clock tower that afternoon, before ditching to 'unpack'.

Sighing, Roxas scanned the crowd for someone to accost with topics of conversation, and his gaze landed on his sister. Wrestling through the throngs of people to Naminé's side, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Hey, squirt."

Naminé turned and squealed, her face splitting into a wide grin as she leapt forward to envelop him in a hug. "Roxas! I haven't seen you in _forever_!"

"It's only been a few days, Naminé," Roxas said sheepishly. True, he hadn't exactly been home for the past two and a half days, and Naminé had been at the Destiny Islands yesterday night with Sora, Riku and Kairi, so she hadn't been at their parents' house.

Roxas had been hanging out at the mysteries of Twilight Town, not really trying to solve them, sleeping on the grassy hills, thinking to himself. About what, you can probably guess.

Naminé wrapped her arm around Roxas' waist and steered him off to a corner table with two chairs, in which they sat. Naminé poured them both a glass of soda, and pushed Roxas' glass towards him.

"So... Demyx tells me that a certain redhead has caught your queer eye."

Roxas was glad that he hadn't taken a drink yet, because he was suddenly spluttering and choking on air – it would have been far worse had he had soda in his mouth.

"Demyx said _what_?"

"Hey, you remember Reno?"

Confused by the topic change, Roxas nodded as a photo memory of the ponytailed redhead popped into his mind.

"Don't you think he looks a bit like Axel?"

"I don't know!" Roxas protested, indignant.

"Roxas, you know you can tell me anything," Naminé assured him, her voice softer than before. She was back into sister mode, instead of interrogator mode. This was someone Roxas could trust.

"Yeah, I know. I've just been thinking a lot in the last few days, and I don't think it would be... _so_ bad to... indulge a little."

"Axel's more than willing," Naminé added.

"How do you know that?"

"Met him today, in town," she chimed. "He seems like a decent kind of person. "He's quite obviously interested in you."

"You're taking this rather well, Nami," Roxas commented, perturbed by his twin's acceptance. He went on, "but I just _feel _terrible, you know? Because here I am, interested in another man, while Olette is over _there _—" and he gestured to a small group of people his age across the hall — "and she's probably going to feel very betrayed when she finds out."

"_If_ she finds out."

"She will, Naminé. Axel will make sure of that. Or I will."

"Taking initiative, are we? Well, good luck."

"Thanks."

Naminé watched as her brother melted into the crowd, noting that Demyx immediately apprehended him and dragged him off somewhere.

Naminé allowed herself a small smile before pulling a book from her handbag and settling down to read.

"Hey, is anyone sitting there?"

Naminé glanced up from her book to observe the questioner. A tall man with creamy skin and startling pink hair down to his shoulders was standing in front of her. She gave him a smile and replied, "No, did you want to sit down?"

"Yes, please," he said, and folded himself into the plastic chair across from her. It was when she saw his face properly that she realised that she'd seen him briefly, earlier.

"Hey, aren't you the guy who was running madly through the streets in search of flowers this morning? Zexion was looking for you."

The man blushed slightly, and nodded. "Yeah, that's me. I'm Marluxia." He extended a hand towards her.

Naminé took it, shaking hands as she introduced herself. "I'm Naminé."

"Ohh. You're Roxas' twin sister, huh?"

"Yes, among other things," Naminé deadpanned. "What do you think of him and Axel?"

Marluxia shrugged. "Usually I'm pretty quick to judge Axel's… propositions, but this time it's different. Normally, he just moves in and they fuck, but he's actually taking the time to get to know Roxas, which is weird. I don't know. Maybe it's real attraction."

"You don't like him very much, do you?" Naminé asked serenely.

"I don't hate him as much as you think. I get along with him, and we're friends, but he sleeps with too many people for me to be completely happy with the way he lives his life."

Naminé nodded. She had suspected, of course. Axel had far too much confidence in himself, radiating off of him even in the short moments that she had been in his presence, to not be a bit of a player.

But Roxas wasn't a fool. He was smart, and he wouldn't go after Axel if he wasn't aware of the consequences. Not to mention, Demyx wouldn't have allowed Axel to go after his younger cousin if he didn't think that Axel was, well… worthy.

"So, are you, like, their father figure?"

Marluxia looked up at her, surprise written all over his face. "Well, I've never heard it spoken quite like that, but yes, I suppose I am. I'm a bit older than them, so I'm kind of a bit more experienced in life than they are. They resent my interferences at times, though. Axel especially."

"Well, all I can say is thank you," Naminé said earnestly.

"Why?"

"Because if you looked after them, you looked after my cousin and his boyfriend, and god knows Demyx needs someone to look out for him sometimes."

"Well," Marluxia murmured, "you're welcome, then."

He turned to observe the crowd, seeing Demyx lead Roxas through the throngs of people, Zexion following them at a distance. Naminé went back to her reading, and the silence between them was comfortable.

* * *

**So, the question is, should Roxas and Axel just fuck and get it over with, or do you guys want more story? Cos I HAVE MORE STORY. MORE STORY IS NOT THE PROBLEM HERE. **

**But I'm thinking that maybe it would help the sex if they actually knew each other a bit before the event. **

**Please share your thoughts with me! I'm not posting a new chapter until I get some feedback :p**

**I don't usually fish for reviews with such an obvious tenacity, but it's kind of necessary this time! I want you guys to tell me what you would rather like me to write. **

**Much love**

**Sharzam  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Oh man. How can I even explain this? I can't really. I can't even attempt. I don't have an excuse, other than the mother of all writer's blocks. This chapter will be rapidly followed by a few more and then it will be done. **

**I am so sorry, everyone. Hopefully this chapter will make up for my heinously long absence. **

**So, uh, KH doesn't belong to me. Neither does Final Fantasy VII.**

* * *

"Axel!"

The redhead looked up, his hands lifting from the makeshift bar that he had been leaning on at the far side of the hall, watching Demyx forcefully weave his way through the throngs of townspeople, gripping someone by the elbow, tugging them along. A mop of slate hair signalled that Zexion was following close behind.

The small blonde person, who was being pulled along by Demyx, flipped his fringe out of his eyes and the fucking _moment _happened again - blue met green and Roxas' stomach flipped and his mind started to spout those ridiculously embarrassing thought processes, and then Demyx had deposited him right in front of Axel and both he and Zexion were… gone.

_Fuck_.

"So," Axel began from in front of the blonde, and _how the hell could he have forgotten that Axel was standing right there_, and Roxas' head was spinning a bit, and… shit.

Axel frowned in concern at the blank look in the blonde's eyes. "… Roxas?"

The redhead's voice echoed in Roxas' brain, bouncing off the sides of his skull but not really registering at all. The fact that Axel knew his name was somewhat surprising, but his addled brain forgot that the older guy was in a band with his cousin. He never usually let someone get this close to him, so far under his skin he'd need to have surgery to keep them out. He felt Axel put his hands on his shoulders, and they were suddenly on eye level as the taller man bent to look closer at him.

"Roxas. Hey, you okay?"

Axel frowned harder, and steered Roxas to the side of the hall, away from most of the people. The younger man was still lethargic and slow, stunned-looking.

"Roxas!" Axel demanded, giving the blonde a little shake in another attempt to bring him back into himself. Roxas started into consciousness and looked up, confused, before answering the question.

"Y-Yeah," Roxas muttered, unnerved by how close Axel's face was to his. "I… I blank out sometimes. Sorry."

Axel smiled at him, and straightened to his proper height. "Don't apologise, it happens to everyone. So… how are you doing?"

Weird that they were having this conversation, as if they kind of knew each other, but it was better than having a D&M about their wacky connection thing.

"I'm okay," Roxas shrugged. "Having a small identity crisis at the moment, but otherwise good. You?"

_Fuck _this was stupid.

"Oh, you know, I'm all caught up in this blonde kid whose face I can't seem to get out of my head," Axel purred, "and we seem to have this weird connection that neither of us want to address, and I'm just wondering what he'd do if I…"

"Addressed it?" Roxas finished, smiling slightly.

"… Yeah," Axel said, smiling back.

"Why bother?" Roxas asked. "Now that we've both sort of addressed it, two halves make a whole… now it can be less awkward."

That had obviously thrown Axel for a loop. He was liking this kid more and more by the minute, and that was surprising to say the least.

They chatted for a while, maybe twenty minutes, sitting on tall chairs at the hall bar, Axel revelling in every moment that Roxas' eyes brightened as he asked question after question, about where Axel grew up, what he liked to do, what Demyx and Zexion were like to travel around with, and then Axel would catch himself just before he said something far too personal to reveal in casual conversation.

"So… if you could go anywhere, where would you go?" Roxas asked, grinning, showing off all his sparkly white teeth in his smile. "No limits. You can say Wonderland if you want."

"…I've always wondered what it would be like to be inside a lava lamp."

_That _surprised a laugh out of Roxas, and blue eyes turned incredulous to meet dead serious green ones.

"You want to go… _inside_ a lava lamp? Why?"

"Why not?" Axel was laughing now, because Roxas was. "You did say _anywhere_. Imagine how fun being inside a lava lamp would be!"

Roxas _was _thinking about it. And yeah, it sounded entertaining. "Ha ha ha… geez. I totally wasn't expecting that."

"Roxas!"

The blonde flamer from the clock tower popped up right next to Roxas, peered up at the redhead for a few seconds, then grabbed the other blonde and yanked him away.

It all happened so fast that the older man didn't register it until he could hear Roxas complaining, and looked up to see him trying to bodily disengage his friend, turning back to look pleadingly at Axel. The redhead shoved himself out of his seat and strode after the blonde duo, reaching for Roxas' outstretched hand and gripping it tightly, effectively halting their movement with his superior strength.

Electricity shocked up his arm from Roxas' fingertips - the jolt, however, wasn't nearly enough to make him let go. Roxas' hand felt nice in his hold, its smaller shape slotting into Axel's with ease, the blonde's thumb catching on the soft skin of the back of his hand.

The other blonde - Hayner - stared at Axel with obvious confusion. He glanced at Roxas' hand in Axel's, then to the intense look in the redhead's eyes, then back to his best friend, then another two rounds of the same circuit of confusion, and just as he was about to ask, Roxas shook himself out of Hayner's grasp, spun off balance, and stopped short with his back to Axel's chest, pressed flush against him, the spikes of his blonde hair just barely brushing Axel's chin.

_Ffffff_. _So warm_. Roxas wasn't expecting that inner dialogue. But it was true. Axel's body against his felt amazingly warm, like embers of a fire, smouldering against his spine. He was so distracted by his sudden predicament that he almost forgot that they were in the middle of the town hall, and Hayner, his best friend since he could remember, was staring at him like he had just performed the ultimate betrayal.

"Rox?"

"Uhh… Hayner, this is Axel. Axel, this is Hayner, my best friend," Roxas finished lamely.

Axel unlatched his hand from Roxas' to shake hands with Hayner. The cargo-pant clad young man seemed remotely suspicious of him, and Axel supposed he couldn't really begrudge him that. After they had shaken hands, Hayner entered an intense staring match with Roxas, which ended several seconds later when Roxas threaded his fingers discreetly through Axel's once again.

Hayner's eyes widened, and then narrowed. Axel watched his expression change, and realised: _this kid knows._

Roxas and Hayner must have some kind of best friend telepathy going on, because Roxas had practically told him what was going on without a single word being spoken.

"Here," Roxas said, bringing Axel back to the real world. Roxas twisted their hands until the inside of Axel's forearm was bared to the dim light. Hayner handed him a pen and Roxas began to scrawl on his skin, a series of intricate swirls and tattoo-like inscriptions.

"Ever the artist," Hayner commented wryly.

"What? You can't be related to Naminé without her talents rubbing off on you after a while," Roxas replied.

"What are you doing?" Axel asked, curious.

"I'm drawing my number on you, duh," Roxas answered, as if it should be obvious. Axel watched him draw until he finished, and then Roxas made him turn his arm the right way around so that he could read it.

"Whoa, so you did," Axel commented, finding nothing else to say. The drawing took up the entire inside of his arm, a mass of detailed, artfully chaotic lines in the form of numbers. "This is awesome!"

Roxas blushed; Hayner clapped him on the back and reinforced, "Yeah, I know!"

In the end, Axel and Roxas managed to convince Hayner to stay with them, and they chatted for a while as the party wound down. They left the hall together, until Hayner split to walk home with Seifer, waving goodbye and offering Roxas an indiscreet wink as he left.

Roxas and Axel continued on, up Sunset Hill to the fence overlooking the ocean and the train bridges. They stood together like that, just looking out and enjoying being in each other's presence.

"Roxas!" someone screeched.

Roxas flinched, and turned to the side, spotting an older blonde woman waving urgently at him from about a hundred metres away, coming up the hill.

"Ew, it's my mom," Roxas muttered, and Axel laughed quietly. He stifled it, however, as the woman came into the light.

"No fucking way."

"What. The. Fuck."

Larxene charged, and caught Axel around the neck, ruffling his hair with one hand and laughing with real happiness. It had been a while since Roxas had seen his mother so full of joy.

"…Mom?"

Larxene looked up at Roxas and, apparently realising how weird the whole scenario must look, let go of Axel, leaving him to sputter and attempt to unruffle his spiky hair.

"So… long time," Axel attempted, grinning.

"Yeah, I could imagine sixteen years _would_ be a long time," Larxene replied dryly. "There's no way I could mistake those spikes, fire-top."

"So you two know each other?" Roxas asked. "How?"

"Oh, Roxas, almost forgot about you there," Larxene chuckled, and ruffled her son's hair as well. "I used to babysit Axel and his older brother when they were kids; a couple of years after you and your sister were born."

Roxas watched Axel's face as this was revealed, saw his face stiffen at the mention of a brother.

"Anyway, a few months after I started looking after them, their mother gathered up house and moved to Radiant Garden and I haven't seen Axel since then," Larxene continued, oblivious to Axel's discomfort with the subject, which Roxas could see was getting even more intense as the seconds ticked by.

"I still see his brother from time to time because of Cl-"

"I think I should be off," Axel interrupted, his face tense and his hands balling into fists. For the first time, Larxene noticed his irate mood, and shut her mouth, her eyes softening.

"Sorry, Axel," she said softly. "It _is_ nice to see you again, though." She turned to Roxas. "Are you coming home now? Now that Hayner's back and you don't have to apartment-sit?"

"Maybe in a few days. Let me get all my stuff together," Roxas replied.

"Okay, honey. Give me a call tomorrow, okay? See you around, Axel." With that, Larxene wandered off down the hill.

"You all right?" Roxas asked, touching Axel's arm. The redhead was still fuming, and he flinched when Roxas touched him, but he shrugged his tenseness off and offered a tight smile to the blonde.

"Yeah. Just - my brother and I aren't on the best terms at the moment. Or, you know, ever. It pisses me off when people talk about him in front of me."

Roxas thought back to the conversation with his mother, and the mention of Axel's brother. "She was about to mention my older brother, but you stopped her. Why?"

"To be honest, Cloud Strife is also kind of a sore spot," Axel admitted, grinning. "He's your older brother, huh?"

"Yeah," Roxas answered, sinking down to sit on the grass and smiling when Axel did the same. "He's like, eleven years older than me. Mom had him when she was only eighteen. His dad ran off real fast after she told him she was pregnant."

"Aww," Axel said. He did the math in his head. "She's looking good for someone pushing fifty. I remember her so well from when I was a kid."

"How old were you?"

"Eight. R - My brother was twelve. Cloud was thirteen. You and your sister were two years old, I think."

"I know, you know."

"You know what?"

"I know that your brother is Reno."

"Aha."

"You guys look too similar for there not to be a connection. Same colour hair, same facial structure, you have different colour eyes but otherwise there's no way you couldn't be related. Cloud's brought him back here a couple of times, but I don't really know him that well."

"Can we stop talking about it, please?" Axel asked quietly, and Roxas nodded in compliance. He took Axel's hand again and squeezed. The air was heavy with the emotions rising off Axel like steam.

At the same time, the night was so clear. It was nearing ten, and the stars were sparkling on a vast blanket of dark, dark blue. Roxas let go of Axel's hand and reclined onto his back, face to the sky, and Axel followed suit, unfolding his slender body onto the grass. Roxas watched a shooting star and jabbed Axel, pointing up at it, and they both watched it arch across the night sky and fizzle into nonexistence.

"Make a wish," Roxas whispered.

"I already did," Axel replied, just as quietly.

"What was it?"

"Nuh-uh, that would be telling."

Axel chuckled softly to himself, and Roxas narrowed his eyes. It already felt like they'd known each other for years, maybe even as long as Roxas had known Hayner, Pence and Olette. He raised himself up on his elbows and watched Axel's face. The redhead's eyes were closed, his smile still lingering on his face.

"Quit staring at me."

Roxas jumped to his feet as Axel's eyes slid open and stared back at him.

"I-"

"This is how it's gonna be, huh?" Axel huffed. He sat up abruptly, and Roxas wondered for a moment whether he'd scared him off or something equally ridiculous, until Axel grinned at him, mischief in every line of his face.

"Axel…" Roxas began as he went to back away.

"Too late!" Axel cried. He reached up with both hands and pulled Roxas down and into his lap, one of his long arms encircling the blonde's waist, the other settling on the side of his neck.

"You ready?"

Roxas could barely form a sentence. It was all happening so fast, and _was_ he ready, and _was this happening too fast, what do I do, what the hell do I -_

Axel's lips brushed over his and every incoherent thought flew out of his mind, replaced by one coherent thought - _kiss back_.

So he did.

* * *

**Oh jeez. Please tell me if I'm on the right track with this one. **

**Also, Larxene is **_**old**_**. This often happens when you have kids. But I don't really see her as a middle-aged, wrinkly bitch. I imagine her as having aged gracefully, and not looking much older than she does in the games. **

**And yes, Reno is Axel's older brother by four years. **

**Cloud is Roxas' older brother by eleven years. She had Cloud at eighteen which makes her twenty-nine when she had Roxas and Naminé, which makes her forty-seven at the present time. Not that old. **

**I'm not explaining who Cloud's father is. Not important to the storyline, and I can't really think of who his father would be. Any suggestions?**

**Please leave a review, I love to hear from you guys. I actually went back and read all the comments on my stories to get me back into the rhythm of writing for other people again. **

**And yeah. I have wondered what it would be like inside a lava lamp. **

**xx  
**


End file.
